Synthetic milk is the chemically produced milk that differs from the animal milk. It is manufactured by mixing the predefined and calculated amount of urea, caustic soda, refined oil and common detergents. The purpose of adding the detergents is to aid in the emulsification of the solution and giving a frothy appearance. The milk looks almost similar to the regular milk in all respects. The differentiating factors would taste and the nutritional elements.

1. SYNTHETIC
MILK
SUBMITTED BY:- SUBMITTED TO:-
Sumit Bansal Dr. Alka Sharma
14083911
B.TECH(FINAL YEAR)

2. WHAT IS SYNTHETIC MILK ?
SYNTHETIC MILK is not milk but it is
entirely a different component with a
high degree of adulteration to increase
the volume of milk and thereby the
profit. Generally it is a mixture of
water, pulverized detergent or soap,
sodium hydroxide, vegetable oil, salt
and urea.

3. PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES IN MILK &
SYNTHETIC MILK
PROPERTIES SYNTHETIC MILK NATURAL MILK
PHYSICAL
COLOR WHITE WHITE
ODOUR When freshly
prepared, the mixture
has a soapy smell
Not distinctive
TASTE BITTER PALATABLE
DENSITY 1.25-1.35 1.25-1.35
STORAGE TURNS YELLOWISH
AFTER SOME TIME
CURDLING BUT NO
CHANGE IN
COLOUR
TEXTURE Give soapy feel when
rubbed
NO
BOILING BECOMES YELLOW NO CHANGE

4. CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF NATURAL
& SYNTHETIC MILK
PROPERTIES SYNTHETIC MILK NATURAL MILK
FAT 4.5% 4.5%
PH HIGHLY ALKALINE SLIGHTLY ALKALINE
UREA TEST INTENSE YELLOW
COLOUR
FAINT YELLOW
COLOUR
UREA
CONCENTRATION
14mg/ml 0.2-0.7mg/ml
SUGAR TEST POSITIVE NEGATIVE
NEUTRALIZERS
TEST
POSITIVE NEGATIVE

5. HARMFUL EFFECTS
Food poisoning
Tissue damage
Protein destruction
Heart problem
Cancer
Death

6. PRODUCTION OF SYNTHETIC MILK
 Vegetable refined oil whose butyro-refractometer
reading is less than 42 is taken in a wide mouthed
container along with a suitable emulsifier and
thoroughly mixed so that the entire content is made
in to a thick white paste. After this is achieved,
water is slowly added to the paste until the density
of the liquid is similar to that of milk. Then it is
added with urea or sodium sulphate or glucose or
maltose or sometimes any one of the commonly
available fertilizers is added. These substances are
usually dissolved in hot water and then added to
the seemingly milk like solution.

7. INGREDIENTS CALACULATION
The ingredients that go in to the making of
synthetic milk are calculated in such a way
that the fat and SNF percentage is similar to
mixed milk. Hence it easily passes the
platform tests carried out at the village level
dairy co-operative society (fat and
lactometer reading etc.) but from the health
point of view of the consumers, it is highly
dangerous. The taste is highly
objectionable.

8. TEST TO CHECK IF MILK IS ADULTERATED OR
ARTIFICIAL ?
 Water – The presence of water can be detected
by putting a drop of milk on a polished slanting
surface. The drop of pure milk flows slowly
leaving a white trail behind it, whereas milk
adulterated with water will flow immediately
without leaving a mark.
 Starch – Add a few drops of Iodine solution to
few ml of milk. If the mixture forms blue colour,
it’s a indication that milk is adulterated with
Starch.

9.  Urea – Take a teaspoon of milk in a test tube.
Add half teaspoon of soybean or arhar
powder. Mix up the contents throughly by
shaking the test tube. After 5 mins, dip a red
litmus paper after half a minute. A change in
colour from red to blue indicates the presence
of Urea in milk.
 Detergent – Shake 5-10 ml of sample with an
equal amount of water. Formation of lather
indicates the presence of detergent.
 Synthetic Milk – Synthetic milk has a bitter
taste, gives a soapy feeling on rubbing
between the fingers and turns yellowish on
heating.

10. IDEAS FOR MILK TEST
1. The natural milk will have a sweeter taste
that is unique to milk. Synthetic milk tastes a
little bitter.
2. Natural milk has a pH value of around 6.8
which is slightly on the acidic side of
neutrality. Synthetic milk is highly alkaline
with a pH value of over 10.

11.  3. You can check it by rubbing it between
your fingers. Synthetic milk should give you
a soapy feeling because of the presence of
detergents.
4. Natural milk stays white even on boiling,
while the synthetic milk turns slightly yellow.
5. Storage could be an easy identifier.
Synthetic milk gets yellowish on storage
while natural milk remains white.